NASCAR News & Notes - 7/13

-- After struggling throughout the first half of the season, Earnhardt fans finally had cause to celebrate when Dale Jr. edged out Matt Kenseth in sunday's NASCAR Nextel Cup race at Chicagoland Speedway. "We obviously didn't have the best car today," Earnhardt said. "Matt Kenseth had the best car, hands down."

-- Ford Motor Co. unveiled a prototype Thursday of the model that will replace its Taurus on the NASCAR circuit. The Fusion, a model debuting for Ford in 2006, will make its first start in next season's Budweiser Shootout at Daytona International Speedway. Ford plans to phase out production of the Taurus over the next few years.

-- Want to host a Nextel Cup race? Get their attention by suing them. Kentucky Speedway filed suit Wednesday against NASCAR and International Speedway Corp., alleging the companies have violated federal antitrust laws by illegally restricting the awarding of Nextel Cup races. It's one of several tracks that have unsuccessfully sought a race in the elite Cup series.

-- Tires played a key role in the Chicagoland race. Carl Edwards, Dave Blaney, Elliott Sadler and Michael Waltrip blew out right-front tires Sunday during the USG Sheetrock 400 at Chicagoland Speedway. Jimmie Johnson and Kevin Harvick pitted, anticipating they were about to lose tires. Harvick, the 14th-place finisher, dropped from fifth to 30th when he pitted late.